Old Fashioned Broody Hen Hatch A Long and Informational Thread

[AshleyI]

I have a cochin that went broody so yesterday I purchased three chicks and put them in with her last night. This morning I go to check on them and all three are doing well but Twigs is still sitting as if broody and refuses to leave the nest and anytime a chick does try to leave she pecks aggressively at it to the point of loud chirping and causing it to fall from the nesting box. Is she rejecting them or is this normal? Should I remove them from her? TIA

 

[Violetsfeathers]

I have a cochin that went broody so yesterday I purchased three chicks and put them in with her last night.  This morning I go to check on them and all three are doing well but Twigs is still sitting as if broody and refuses to leave the nest and anytime a chick does try to leave she pecks aggressively at it to the point of loud chirping and causing it to fall from the nesting box.  Is she rejecting them or is this normal?  Should I remove them from her?  TIA

How long was she broody before you bought her chicks? Is she still sitting on any eggs that she is waiting to hatch? I'd give them a little more time and see if she takes to them.

 

[nchls school]

I have a cochin that went broody so yesterday I purchased three chicks and put them in with her last night. This morning I go to check on them and all three are doing well but Twigs is still sitting as if broody and refuses to leave the nest and anytime a chick does try to leave she pecks aggressively at it to the point of loud chirping and causing it to fall from the nesting box. Is she rejecting them or is this normal? Should I remove them from her? TIA

Hens brooding for less than a week or so tend to reject chicks in the fostering process. Most hens need to brood eggs for a period of time before they are biologically ready for chicks. The chicks should be removed for their protection.

 

[Lady of McCamley]

I have a cochin that went broody so yesterday I purchased three chicks and put them in with her last night. This morning I go to check on them and all three are doing well but Twigs is still sitting as if broody and refuses to leave the nest and anytime a chick does try to leave she pecks aggressively at it to the point of loud chirping and causing it to fall from the nesting box. Is she rejecting them or is this normal? Should I remove them from her? TIA

x2 with nchls school.

It is not a good sign. A receiving foster mom will peck them to get back under her and even scoot them under her again. (Those moms can actually be a bit frustrated with feed store chicks at first because the chicks don't know to stay with mom...but it generally settles within a day or two at most).

A conflicted brooder will peck chicks away from her nest even to the point of death.

If she is accepting them, she will "purr" at them and cluck at them to be with her.

If she is conflicted, she will continue to peck at them as soon as they are visible.

It is very important you watch very carefully over the next few hours to make a decision if the mother will accept them or whether it is best to take them.

I too am of the mind this is not a good sign and you should plan to take them. I have let this scenario play out with only a few successes. Most the time I go out to a dead chick or two if mom hasn't been accepting from the first moment.

Fostering can be hard.

LofMc

 

[fisherlady]

Yes, I do know it is a staggered hatch, I did not mention this before but I have two broody hens. One can hatch the first two or three chicks and then a week later the other hen will hatch the rest of the chicks.
Also I'm thinking about taking the chicks away form the hen after they hatch because hand raised chicks are tamer. But I would feel really bad for the momma, and it's so much easier for them to be broody raised

I find broody chicks can be as friendly as brooder raised but you have to spend more time in the coop with them. I mix finch seeds and dried meal worms and go sit in the coop with them, it doesn't take long for them to associate people with treats. Eventually they willingly hop onto my hand or lap for treats. If you think about it the brooder raised chicks aren't actually friendlier, they just get more people time (because it is more convenient to spend time with them) so they are more comfortable and view people as treat dispensers...

 

[PD-Riverman]

I find broody chicks can be as friendly as brooder raised but you have to spend more time in the coop with them. I mix finch seeds and dried meal worms and go sit in the coop with them, it doesn't take long for them to associate people with treats. Eventually they willingly hop onto my hand or lap for treats. If you think about it the brooder raised chicks aren't actually friendlier, they just get more people time (because it is more convenient to spend time with them) so they are more comfortable and view people as treat dispensers...

I agree, but I also feel you can some-what tame a young wildcat if you have some good treats and spend ALOT of time with it.

If you do not have a lot of time----the brooder raised chicks do seem friendlier, But none of mine are real friendly because I do not spend a lot of time messing with them. They are not my pets, but I take Good care of them!

 

[AshleyI]

My hen has been broody for about three weeks. She has zero interest in them other than to attack them. So, I removed the chicks. Thanks everyone for the speedy replies.

 

[AnneInTheBurbs]

2 days to go until my Broody's eggs are due to hatch!! I can't wait!!

She is sitting on 6 turkey eggs and 4 chicken eggs.

 

[nchls school]

2 days to go until my Broody's eggs are due to hatch!! I can't wait!!

She is sitting on 6 turkey eggs and 4 chicken eggs.

Have you candled the eggs? I'm wishing you lots of luck. I have 15 midget white turkey eggs arriving later this week. I'm going to divide them up among 4 different broody hens; lots of luck to me too. I'll be watching to see if your turkey eggs hatch. Are they shipped eggs?

 

[AnneInTheBurbs]

 
2 days to go until my Broody's eggs are due to hatch!! I can't wait!! e

She is sitting on 6 turkey eggs and 4 chicken eggs.

Have you candled the eggs?  I'm wishing you lots of luck. I have 15 midget white turkey eggs arriving later this week. I'm going to divide them up among 4 different broody hens; lots of luck to me too. I'll be watching to see if your turkey eggs hatch. Are they shipped eggs?

I have candles the eggs. A friend from my state sent them to me, and this batch came pretty fast. All 7 started to develop, but I had one quitter that I pulled about a week ago. What state are you in? I have three midget white turkeys, but only one hen is laying and my Tom has not been keeping her fertile. She is now trying to go broody but doesn't seem to want to stay in the same spot... The turkey eggs I received are a few different breeds, and they may be mixed, but I don't mind either way. Just excited to have a broody hatch out some babies!

Are you giving the turkey eggs to a broody chicken hen? I added some chicken eggs on day 21 so that she will have some chicks also, timing permitting. Some said this is helpful because the turkey chicks can be a bit stupid and the chicken chicks show them how to eat and drink.